GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A detective with the Grand Rapids Police Department is preparing to compete in the World Police & Fire Games that will take place in the Netherlands this July.
“It’s very humbly for me to be able to represent the city and the people that have taken care of me,” Detective James Vakertzis said. “As far as I know, I will be the only competitor from Michigan – only one in Grand Rapids, I can tell you.”
Vakertzis is part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce. He says the work as a crimes investigator is not easy but he’s found peace in the gym.
“In times it takes a toll on everyone mentally. There’s no way of getting around it. We walk in hell everyday with what we see,” Vakertzis said. “The Lord just blesses certain kind of people to do that and everyone has a different way of getting ride of the stress and mine just happens to be powerlifting.”
It’s a hobby that the Grand Rapids police officer will soon take to Rotterdam as he competes in the 2022 World Police & Fire Games.
The competition brings out nearly 10,000 people who work in police, fire, customs and corrections departments from all over the world as they compete in more than 60 sports.
Vakertzis’ first time competing was at the 2019 games in China. He competed in powerlifting and won a silver medal.
“I went over to China and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life,” he said. “It’s like going to the Olympics.”
The excitement of an epic return for the gold quickly diminished when his 19-year-old daughter died in a car crash last September.
“With everything that went on with my daughter and my daughter passing, I wasn’t going to compete but my daughter Sophia wanted me to continue. She thought it was the coolest thing in the world that her dad was traveling across the world to compete,” Vakertzis said. “I’m going and she’s going to be with me.”
The competition will last from July 22 until July 31. Vakertzis says he’s been training to beat a world record of lifting more than 700 pounds.
He’s also working on fundraising for the trip after deciding to go just earlier this month.
“It’s a self-funded trip, he doesn’t get anything from the city,” Grandville Road Patrol Officer Rich Brown said.
Brown is assisting Vakertzis in raising money for the trip to cover expenses such as airfare, transportation, meals, lodging, the cost to use a gym and more.
Some businesses in town have sponsored Vakertzis. He says he plans to get signs and shirts made and will have each businesses logo displayed. He will hand out to people in Rotterdam and other competitors.
If you have questions or are interested in become a sponsor or donating in general, you can contact Brown at brownr@cityofgrandville.com.
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